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Vietti

The Vietti family have been tending vines in Barolo since the middle of the 19th Century, although it was not until the ensuing century, as more and more locals began to vinify themselves and the Vietti's supply of fruit began to dry up, that the family looked to purchase their own vines in the region. At the helm at this time was Mario Vietti, who subsequently ceded control of the family estate to his daughter Luciana Vietti and her husband, Alfredo Currado.

Alfredo has been the true driving force behind the continuing development of this family concern. A major contribution to the estate, and it would seem to Barolo as a whole, was Alfredo's conviction that individual sites should be vinified and bottled separately, bringing forth the terroir of Barolo's greatest slopes. This he did in 1952, and the wines from the Lazzarito vineyard, north of Serralunga d'Alba, and the nearby Rocche, Brunate and Ravera vineyards, have been bottled separately since then. Today these are the flagship wines, and they are worthy of some exploration:

• Castiglione is the most commonly encountered Barolo, and is the entry level wine for this DOCG. This is a blend from small vineyards in Castiglione Falletto, together with fruit from the Villero and Fossati vineyards around the town of Barolo itself, and from Ravera in Novello, a town at the extreme southwest of the region. Yields are typically 40 hl/ha. The wine spends two year in Slavonian oak casks and barriques.
• Brunate is a southeast-facing site on the slopes south of La Morra. The Vietti bottling comprises 75% Lampia and 25% Michet clones of Nebbiolo. Yields are typically 30 hl/ha. This wine also sees two years in Slavonian oak, and a year in bottle before release.
• Lazzarito is just north of Serralunga d'Alba. This bottling is 75% Michet and 25% Lamipa, and yields are typically 28 hl/ha. The wine is handled in the modern fashion, eschewing casks in favour of fourteen months in oak barrique instead.
• Rocche is another site with a southeasterly aspect, here on the slopes just south of Castiglione Falletto. The fruit here comprises 75% Michet and 20% Lampia, with just 5% of a less favoured Nebbiolo close Rosé. Yields are again typically 28 hl/ha, and the oak treatment is the traditional two years in Slavonian oak casks.
• Ravera is a small site in Novello. Fruit from this vineyard is used in the Castiglione blend, but since 1999 it has also been bottled separately. This is 50% Michet, 45% Lampia and 5% Rosé. The finished wine goes into barriques for fifteen months, then traditional cask thereafter.

Few estates in this region limit themselves to Barolo, however, and Vietti, now run by Luca Currado, Alfredo's son, together with son-in-law Mario Cordero, turns out an interesting array of other wines. This portfolio is led by their Arneis, which sadly I haven't tasted. This is a significant wine for Vietti; there was a time in the 1970s when they were one of just two estates vinifying this scented variety, but as demand for white wine has escalated over the decades since, so has the area planted to Arneis. There are also several very good examples of Barbera:

• Barbera D’Alba Tre Vigne, from 35 year-old vines in Monforte, Barolo and Castiglione Falletto, harvested at 54 hl/ha. Temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel, then into casks for eight months.
• Barbera D’Alba Scarrone, a single vineyard bottling, from the Scarrone vineyard which is close to Castiglione Falletto. These are 60 year-old Barbera vines, harvested at 36 hl/ha, fermented as above, but then into French oak for 16 months. Unfiltered.
• Barbera D’Alba Scarrone Vigna Vecchia is an old vines selection from the same vineyard, with a yield of 24 hl/ha
• Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne. Young vines, yield of 40 hl/ha, slightly warmer fermentation, French oak for 12 months. Unfiltered.
• Barbera D’Asti La Crena is a single vineyard bottling, from 67 year-old vines, harvested at just 25 hl/ha, fermented as above in stainless steel. Unfiltered.

Similarly, there is a Dolcetto d'Alba Tre Vigne, from the same sites as the Barbera Tre Vigne, and a single vineyard Dolcetto d'Alba Sant'Anna, with the portfolio completed by Langhe and Alba Nebbiolo and a Barbaresco, a Roero Arneis (the region's famous but infrequently encountered white) and a Moscato d'Asti.

My recent tasting of a selection of the Vietti portfolio, led by winemaker Luca Currado, demonstrated the evident finesse and depth of character to be found here. Tasting only Barbera and Barolo, I thought the wines to be fine examples; this is no doubt helped by recent favourable vintages, such as 2000 and 2001. Luca also explained that his vineyard management has tended towards biodynamic in recent years, and this process may account for some of the intrinsic quality of these wines. And for those not drawn by the quality of the beverage itself, no doubt some will find the labels sufficiently appealing; I do not usually comment on the presentation of wine, as I hold a firm belief that its only the contents that are of any importance, but only an aesthetic heathen would fail to find these bottles appealing. This practice continues a fine tradition started by Alfredo Currado, who commissioned many leading artists for the design of his labels. (11/4/06)

Contact details:
Address: Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 5, 12060 Castiglione Falletto (Cn)
Telephone: +39 0173 62825
Fax: +39 0173 62941
Internet: www.vietti.com

Vietti - Tasting Notes

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Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne 2003: A lovely, vibrantly youthful, red-purple hue. A gorgeously intense nose of brambly forest fruit, with a good, creamy texture and considerable presence on the palate. This has fine balance. Full, characterful and a little meaty, I would go so far as to describe it as seductive. Very good indeed. 17/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barbera d'Asti La Crena 2001: A delightfully glossy appearance here. This wine has meaty and yet quite pure, brambly, earthy fruit. Fine, slightly high-toned though. Elegant presence on the palate, which is balanced, and demonstrating great style. Spiced, early maturity. Very firm and impressive for Barbera. The delicious fruit makes this very drinkable now, but it will keep well for several years. 17+/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barolo Lazzarito 2001: A very good, quite typical colour here, with an appealing pink rim. A nose of dried fruit peel, leather and spice, and on the palate a lovely presence. Great finesse here, a seamless texture, full, perhaps even creamy. What structure there is is well covered. This has fine fruit and a lovely, flavoursome length. Very good indeed. Will do well in the cellar. 18+/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barolo Rocche 2001: This wine has the deepest colour of all those presented in this line-up. Intense, quite concentrated cherry fruit on the nose. Very pure, very focused. Elegant and textured, well structured, but full of potential. Exquisitely, there are notes of truffles alongside the other characteristics. There are tannins here that must integrate first, but this promises to be brilliant. 18.5+/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2000: AA wine that is showing a little pallor with age, and a pink-orange rim. Gorgeously mature and open nose, full of spiced orange peel, cloves and dried cherry fruits. A good presence on the palate, firm and austere still, a little solid and withdrawn despite the obviously appealing nose. Nice fresh acidity though. Dried fruit on the finish. This is giving pleasure now, but will continue to improve over the next five years at least. Very good. 17.5+/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barbera d'Asti La Crena 1999: A dark wine, paling at the rim a little. Still quite youthful though, but although it shows little development on inspection the nose carries lots of interest, with elements of smoke, cigars and spices. A fine, balanced palate, quite elegant and integrated, but still with a coating of tannin. This is very likely to improve in the cellar, over 3-4 years. 17+/20 (November 2005)

Vietti Barolo Castiglione 1998: Also showing a mature, paling hue. Another fine and interesting nose here, showing quite pure and refined cherry fruit, with hints of leather. On the palate, this wine shows a lot of structure, and perhaps could be described as angular. Very dry character, still displaying a lot of tannin. Firm and spicy. Without doubt this needs 5-8 years, if not longer. 16.5+/20 (November 2005)